Following recent events in Paris and elsewhere around the world, it’s perhaps too easy to think there’s not much we can do in the face of random acts of terror. In fact, there is a great deal we can do to minimise the risks to our staff and our businesses. Companies are advised continually to review their duty of care responsibilities and procedures in their workplaces and for their travellers. These include means of communication and decision making in an emergency and preparing staff by training them to respond and to use life-saving medical skills.

The key areas for any organisation to review regularly are risk assessment, planning and implementation, information and intelligence and training.

Risk Assessment, Planning and Testing: Assessing the threat to your people, property and technology is a priority. Threats to your business can come in a variety of forms and from many different quarters. We understand this diversity and can work with you to ensure your plans are still fit for purpose and protect what is important to you, testing business critical plans and implementing fast and effective communication systems. This can be done using our online and classroom based training, communication apps, risk assessment tools and consultancy scenario based testing https://www.pilgrimsgroup.com/consultancy.php

Information and Intelligence: You need to make decisions based on the best information and advice. Accurate, timely and relevant information about the threats in the world today is an essential requirement for corporate security and for risk managers charged with mitigating the risks to their corporations, their staff and their shareholders. Pilgrims turns raw information into actionable intelligence that can be used to help you protect your people, assets, information and reputation. Find out about our bespoke risk and response or specialist country reports. Ask us about Xpatter™, our own web based ‘closed’ app that allows your people to report and share information securely among themselves on local threats and issues https://www.pilgrimsgroup.com/intelligence.php

Training: Employers are responsible for ensuring their employees are fully prepared for the threats they encounter, individually or as a team, and that they are equipped with the appropriate tools and know-how. Given the manner of recent attacks overseas on crowded places and places of leisure, we need to consider business travellers and businesses with offices in many countries where employees not only work, but also go out locally. Pilgrims training emphasises situational awareness and the need for an emphasis on 'prepare', not just at home but across the business global footprint. Our courses are regularly reviewed to ensure they are fully up to date with the most accurate information available. Courses include Hostile Environment training; Personal Safety Awareness; Medical Emergency; Crisis Management (including terrorist and a range of other incidents) and a new TravelSafe™ course about to be launched next month. https://www.pilgrimsgroup.com/training.php

There is much advice out there online, but do you know it’s correct? It’s important to take advice from experts who have tried and tested techniques in staying safe. These threats are now right on our doorstep and getting your staff to think and be able to use the skills makes the difference.

Pilgrims Group is fortunate to have advisors who are leading experts on counter terrorism and staff at all levels who have decades of global experience in managing risk and keeping people safe in challenging situations, from terrorism to natural disasters. We ensure that the latest advice is incorporated into our training courses, for example, the recent Crowded Places guidance and 'Part II' NaCTSO (National Counter Terrorism Security Office) advice on how best to respond to a ‘Paris’ style attack.

Becoming better prepared doesn’t have to be an expensive, complex or lengthy process. Take expert advice and action now, rather than wait until it is too late.